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PSC Commissioner asks Bozeman to support FERC rehearing; commission says action must be noticed
Summary
Brad Molnar, a Public Service Commissioner, urged the Bozeman commission to file a letter with FERC seeking reconsideration of Northwestern Energy's filing by April 30; city staff said the commission cannot take action tonight without proper notice and will explore whether to add the item to a future agenda.
Brad Molnar, a Public Service Commissioner representing District 2, used the commission’s public-comment period to describe a FERC filing by Northwestern Energy that he said reclassifies recently transferred coal-strip capacity in a way that could favor sales to large buyers and reduce benefits for retail customers. Molnar said he and another PSC commissioner have filed for reconsideration and asked local governments to submit a supporting letter to FERC by April 30.
Molnar argued that keeping the resource in the rate base for local control would preserve low-cost electricity for schools and public services, and that the change to market-based treatment risks raising future costs for ratepayers. He said his deadline for a reconsideration letter was April 30 and provided to-do materials to the mayor.
City staff and commissioners acknowledged the request but noted the commission cannot take an un-noticed action during the meeting. City staff said any formal letter signed by the full commission would have to be posted on a noticed agenda; staff also said they would consult the city’s sustainability coordinator and return with guidance. Commissioner Sweeney asked staff to look into whether the matter could be noticed for the next meeting given the approaching deadline.
